Bandage.



W. R. GREEN.

BANDAGE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 30, 1907.

Patented Dec.29, 1908.

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WILLARD R. GREEN, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

BANDAGE Application filed November 30, 1907.

To all whom it 'may concer/1t.'

Be it known that I, VVILLARD GREEN, a citizen of the United States,residing in Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bandages, of whichthe following is a specification.

adapted to fit around the source of discharge and form a receivingchamber spanning such source of discharge, and which bandage willmaintain its shape and deliver the discharges within the chamber and notbecome slimed over on the outer surface, and will enable the same to beworn without causing those pains and discomfort which invariably attendthe wearing of all ordinary forms of bandage.

The ordinary bandage is composed of more or less soft, yielding andcompressible material, without much or any attempt to give it acharacteristic form or shape of its own to be maintained in use. Becauseof this lack of form the bandage, when in use, almost at once takes aform resembling that of a peaked or gable ended roof g in other words,shaping itself into a ridge along the central longitudinal portion andsloping toward the sides of the bandage throughout Because of this shapethe discharges which are applied along the peaked edge of the bandagehave a tendency to pass down the two sides of the bandage more quicklythan they can be absorbed by the bandage itself, which is furthermoreuickly rendered unfit for use by reason of the fact that the surface atonce slimes and becomes matted, and thus becomes more or less imperviousto further penetration or absorption. The creation of this moistcondition of the bandage along the sides thereof and against the limbsis frequently the cause of some of the pains and discomfort which attendthe wearing of all ordinary forms of bandage.

The object of the present invention, therefore, is to avoid the creationof the conditions which are themselves the cause of some of the troublesattending the use of the ordinary bandage, and to overcome and preventtheir existence; and, by keeping the parts of the Specification ofLetters Patent.

Patented Dec. 29, 1908.

Serial No. 404,592.

body adjacent to which the bandage is used in a dry condition, renderthe body nonsensitive to the presence of the bandage and enable it to beworn with comfort. To accomplish these objects, the present bandage ismade of such form that it will take its bearings under any desiredpressure upon the two sides longitudinally of the bandage and againstthe limbs at points provided by nature to give place to and support thebandage, and thus enable the bandage to properly span the source ofdischarge. This natural formation of the body tends to retain positivelyand comfortably in place the side bearing portions of the bandage and togive a sense of comfort and security to the wearer. When so placed andsupported the side bearing portions are out of all contact with thesource of discharge, which is spanned by a chamber always maintainedopen, and the connecting parts of the bandage come together sufficientlybelow the center of discharge to avoid all Contact with it. Furthermore,the fact that pressure is at the sides of the source of discharge tendsto keep free and open the passage of the discharge, and prevents theformation of blood clots or other obstructions frequently the cause ofgreat pain. It is therefore a fact that the mere form of this bandagehas in itself sanitary and medicinal advantages very acceptable to thewearer and also imparts a sense of safety and certainty of being inposition.

In the formation of such a bandage it is essential that it be so madethat the bandage will have the function of maintaining a chamber or opencondition at the source of discharge and against side pressure from thelimbs when sitting or in a recumbent position. This resistance to sidecompression may be obtained in various ways, and special forms ofdevices may be provided which contain provision for not only acting as alateral spreader to the bandage, but also providing a cavity through thecenter of the bandage throughout its longitudinal extent, offering afree receiving space or chamber for receiving all discharges and alsoinsuring positive avoidance of any contact with the wearer except aroundthe source of discharge, and which means may also act as a depressor forthe absorptive or fibrous material which may be used in the receivingspace, as, below the transverse portion orportions of the spreader. Thisform of bandage affords ready means for arriving at a comfortable formof bandage, as

well as an eflicient one, through a proper disposition of the absorbentand the other elements of which the bandage is made. In making such abandage a bearing member of longitudinal extent is necessary upon eachside of the source of discharge or part to which the bandage is to beapplied. lf this be a wound, the bearingportion ofthe bandage must be ofsufficient size and of rounded form to constitute a comfortable engagingsurface of some preferable diameter. The means for maintaining thebandage against lateral compression must havecertain rigidity as well aspliability and sufficient eXtension downward tc form the receivingchamber. These two elements, therefore, form the means around which toassociate the absorbent material, which may be used to fill the sidesand bottom portions of the chamber and also to extend into the sideportions of the bandage to give them fullness and yieldability, whilekeeping the bandage within moderate size or dimensions as may berequired.

The several elements of the bandage may be inclosed in a cover, whichmay be impervious to fluids or not, and which usually extends up alongthe sides and folds over the supporting members. This cover may be ofordinary material, or may have some special form. A great variety ofordinary materials of which to form the cover is practicable in use, forthe reason that through the functions possessed by this bandage thelimbs and other portions of the body likely to come in contact with thebandage cover are free from discharge or irritating acids, and for thatreason are able to bear contact with the material of the bandage coverwithout discomfort, this latter fact restY lting from the dry state inwhich they are kept.

In the drawings accompanying and forming part of this speci-"cation,Figure 1 is a perspective view of a bandage embodying my presentimprovements, with a part of the interior thereof broken away to showits construction; Fig. 2 is a cross sectional Kiew talren in line a-aFig. 1; Fig. 3 is a detail tiew of the form of means shown in Figs. 1and 2 for forrring the side bearing portions and keeping the bandageproperly distended at the source of dicharge so as to span the same, thesupporting means ybeing carried by such distending means; Fig. 4 is across sectional view of another form of means for forir ing the sidebearing portions and keeping the bandage diltended; F ig.

5 is la sinilar cross sectional t iew of a band-v age, showing anotherform of means for providing side bearing portions; and Fig. 6 is adetail -tiew of one of the side bearing members shown in Fig. 5.

Sirrilar characters of reference indicate corresponding, partsthroughout the different figures of the drawings.

The bandage 2, in the preferred form thereof, is made of any suitablematerial adapted Afor the purpose and is preferably foldedlongitudinally at its ends 3 for a short distance, intermediate whichfolded or overlapped portions the bandage is so formed as to prowideside bearing portions 4, between which the bandage is suitably distendedto form a receity ing chamber 5 adapted to span the wound or othersource of discharge.

ln practice the covering member of the bandage may be composed of asuitablev material so folded at its ends as to overlap for a shortdistance and thus cover in such volume of the absorbent material as maybe located in the bandage beyond the points of support. The outer endsmay be suitably stapled or otherwise fastened if desired. At the sideedges of the bandage the material -is folded or shaped to form the sidebearing portions 4, forming therebetween the receiving chamber 5 ofsufficient size and capacity to span the wound or other source ofdischarge, such chamber being preferably maintained by the provision ofsome suitable distending or expanding means, preferably pliable incharacter, so that while yielding to a certain amount of pressure itwill nevertheless resist the compression of the bandage to a suflicientei'- tent to prevent closing up of the chamber. ln that form of thebandage which'is sho'wn in the drawing, this distending means isillustrated as consisting of a frame-work 6 so formed that it will notonly keep the chamber of the bandage open, but that it will give shapeto and provide a bearing surface for the bandage along the longitudinaledges of such chamber, and also serve as a depressor for the absorbentmaterial in the space below, as already referred to, whereby suchmaterial is thus kept out of actual contact with the person of thewearer, this being deemed an important object to be attained. Thisframe-work 6, in the present instance, consists of a wire frame made upof edge forming members 7 and chamber forming members 8 the former beingobtained in the present instance by bending over the edges of the wireframework so as to form curved bearing surfaces 9 around which thematerial and cover of the bandage may be turned. These curved edgebearing members are united by the chamber forming members 8, which, inthe present instance, comprise cross running wires. The length of theedge forming and chamber expanding means will, of course, conform to thedesired length of the chamber. In forming the bandage, the material ofwhich it is composed is .carried or folded around this frame-work insuch manner that a chamber adapted to span the wound or other source ofdischarge is formed, while at each Vside thereof a suitable bearingsurface to Arest against the ,body at the sides of the wound or othersource of discharge is obtained.

In order to properly suspend the bandage by suitable suspension means,which in itself may also assist in maintaining the chamber open,suspending devices l0, two in number, shown in the form of cords, arerun through the middle portion of the length of the bandage and projectfrom the surface thereof near to or just beyond the ends of the chamber,one passing at each side of such chamber, and in the form shown in Figs.l to 3 and 5, these cords are run through the turned over ends of theframe-work, which is thus in this instance shown supported on the cords,while these latter in turn act to maintain the frame-work in its properposition. In the form shown in Fig. 4 the edge forming portion of theframe-work is below the supporting cords and tends to keep them inproper position within the folded edges of the bandage, and so maintainsthe proper form of side bearing edges. Since in practice the cordsextending from one end of the bandage will usually be spread apart andconnect with a belt, it is evident that such spreading of the cords willtend to maintain the frame-work and thereby the chamber open.

The material of which the bandage is made may be made in long length andsuitably cut off, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. l of the drawings,the frame-work inserted and the edge of the material folded around it,which material may be in the form of a cover, or around which material asuitable cover may be disposed to form a chamber, the cords or othersupporting means being run through suitable openings provided in thebandage on the face thereof at or near to the ends of the chamber, suchcords ruiming under the turned over ends of the frame-work and assistingin forming, as stated, a supporting or bearing edge at both sides of thechamber for the bandage.

By reason of the formation of this bandage in the manner illustrated anddescribed, the various advantages hereinbefore set forth are obtainedand a bandage furnished having bearings upon which the weight of thebody can be placed when the bandage is properly attached, and thiswithout causing discomfort or pain, which is not practicable with theordinary bandages now placed on the market.

Another of the advantages obtained by the use of this improved bandageis that the bandage, at the two ends of the chamber, and especially thatend which will constitute the lower end should it be applied in a moreor less perpendicular position, also forms reception reservoirsmaterially assisting the main chamber in absorbing the fluid, and theseare preferably located beyond the points of support.

The bandage may be provided with a suit- I able absorbent material 12,preferably some one of the many forms shown and described in my patents,which absorbent material is located below the frame-work, which latterthus acts to keep it in place, while assisting the absorbent qualitiesof such material by keeping the bandage open and permitting the fluid toreadily run thereinto and be absorbed by the absorbent material.

In Figs. 5 and 6 is shown a means for assisting in preserving the sidebearing members, Y

but which means is more particularly adapted for use when it is desiredto make up the bandage with a cheap or inferior quality of cover, whichform of cover would otherwise be irritating to the wearer. ln order toavoid this a suitable protecting shield is provided, which may be formedof some suitable light water or moisture proof material, such forinstance as paper suitably treated and of sucient stiffness or rigidityto retain its shape and to form the bearing portion in contact with thebody of the wearer. This shield extends over and conforms to the shapeof the side edges of the bandage and may project inwardly suiiicientlyfar, if desired, to assist in conveying the fluids to the receivingchamber.

The supporting cords 9 and 10 are shown of less cross-sectional area ordiameter than the diameter of the side bearing portions of the wireframe which is supported by said cords. In consequence it follows that amovement of one side of the bandage will not necessarily cause the otherside to move, a material advantage in devices of this kind.

l claim as my invention:

l. An absorbent bandage comprising a cover formed to provide sidebearing portions and a chamber, a frame extending across the body of thechamber for keeping said chamber distended, and means for attaching thebandage in position and carrying said frame.

2. An absorbent bandage made up of a frame having a bottom and sidebearing portions, and a cover folded over said side bearing portions,and bandage attaching means carrying said frame.

3. An absorbent bandage made up of a frame having side bearing portionsand chamber forming means, a cover folded over said side bearingportions and under said chamber forming means, and bandage attachingmeans carrying said side bearing portions.

4. An absorbent bandage folded from its ends inwardly to form a chamberhaving side bearings portions, and means for maintaining said sidebearing portions and the chamber expanded and around which the sides ofsaid chamber are folded 5. An absorbent bandage folded from its endsinwardly to form a chamber having side bearing portions, means formaintaining said side bearings portions and the chamber kreceivingchamber provided with side bearing portions, means for forming said sidebearing portions and spanning the chamber adjacent to the bottom thereofand adapted to'maintain said main chamber open, said bandage also havingend receiving reservoirs at the ends of said main chamber, and attachingmeans so located as not to compress the end chambers when the bandage isin use 8. An absorbent bandage comprising a cover, means forming sidebearing portions therefor and a receiving chamber intermediate thereof,and body attaching means extending along and under said sidebearingportions.

9. An absorbent bandage having attaching means adapted to support saidbandage along its sides to form side bearing portions with a receivingchamber intermediate thereof, and with end chambers communi eating withsaid receiving chamber and extending beyond the points of engagement ofthe attaching means withthe bandage.

10. An absorbent bandage comprising a cover having side bearingportions, and shields covering the top edges of said side bearingportions.

11. An absorbent bandage having side bearing portions and a receivingchamber intermediate thereof, means for forming said side bearingportions and maintaining said chamber open, and relatively rigid shieldsfor covering the top edges of said side bearing portions.

12. A relatively rigid shield for covering the to edges of the sidebearing portions of a banc age.

13. A frame work for a bandage having side bearing forming portions anda bottom below said side bearing portions forming a chamber-spanningmeans.

14. A one-piece wire frame work having side bearing forming portions,and a bottom below said side bearing portions forming chamber-spanningmeans.

15. An absorbent bandage having supporting means for attaching itinposition and formed to bear against the body at the sides of and to spanthe source of discharge, with the absorbent out of contact with suchsource of discharge, said bandage having a reservoir or reservoirsbeyond its points of support.

16. An absorbent bandage having supporting means for attaching it inposition and provided with a reservoir or reservoirs at its end or endsbeyond its points of support.

17. A bandage comprising a chamber having side bearing portions, andsupporting means extending under said side bearing portions, the saidsupporting means being of less cross sectional area than the diameter ofsaid side bearing portions whereby a movement of one side bearingportion will not necessarily effect movement of the other side bearingportion.

18. A bandage having a chamber, and means running crosswise of saidchamber at and between the points of compression of said chamber forkeeping the chamber open.

19. A bandage having a chamber, and means located only at and betweenthe points of compression for maintaining said chamber against closure.

20. A bandage having a chamber, means located only at and between thepoints of compression for maintaining said chamber against closure, andindependent supporting means supporting said chamber from end to endalong the sides thereof only.

Signed at 9 to 15 Murray st., New York, N. Y.

WILLARD R. GREEN.

Vitnesses C. A. WEED, F. E. Boron.

